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It is another Memorial Day weekend; to me, it is a time to honor or at least acknowledge the sacrifices of those who have fought and worked to keep us safe. When I was a boy, I lived right next to Greenridge Memorial Cemetery in Kenosha, WI. Every year, they would have a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial section of the Cemetery. It would start with the Colored Guard, the Rambler Band marching down 7th Ave., followed by dignitaries entering the cemetery through the main gate, taking a left, and marching to the Veterans area. Every year, my friend Jim and I would ride are bikes along with them, feeling like we were participating in the ceremony. We knew the day was more than just a day off from school and backyard barbeques. It was a day of remembrance for the people who sacrificed not only for the nation, but also because I was there participating in the ceremony, I always had the idea that they sacrificed it all for me, for my freedom. 

The City of Kenosha used to have a parade to remember our heroes who had served this nation. It seems that it was dropped sometime in the 70s. As a boy, I remember that parade just as well as I remember the 4th of July parade. I remember how most of the dignitaries used to ride in cars and wave, but Senator Proxmire would also walk the entire length of the Parade route, waving and meeting as many of the people as he could. In today's division and political climate, I doubt that can be done anymore. Of course, back then, most everyone was American first and Democrats and Republicans second, not like it is today, where too many put Party before the good of the nation. Today, you don’t see Memorial Day Parades like we had, and you definitely don’t see politicians walking among the people like Proxmire did.

I have been to two National Cemeteries. One of course was Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. I would encourage everyone to make the pilgrimage to Arlington at least once in their lifetime. To watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is inspiring. The sheer beauty of the whole cemetery is peaceful and a fitting tribute to those who sacrificed for our nation. I could just get lost in just wandering around and reading the names of the people that are buried there. Many that history has written about, and many more that history should write about. The other National Cemetery is the Little Bighorn National Cemetery, also known as the Custer Memorial Cemetery. I not only wandered around the battlefield of the Little Bighorn but also around the National Cemetery. It is not as big as the National Cemetery in Arlington, but again, it was one of the most peaceful places that I have ever been to. There are soldiers buried from pretty much all of the major wars, from the Indian Wars to  Vietnam, 5000 total. Again, if you are going to go out west and visit Yellowstone, I encourage you to make a side trip to this very peaceful and historic resting place of rest.

On Memorial Day, it seems that everyone comes out and says how much they support those who have sacrificed for our nation. Every politician will tweet out some inspirational Memorial Day message. Then Tuesday, it will be back to business as usual, and Memorial Day and our Veterans will be just a memory to some. It will be back to trying to figure out how to make cuts to the Veterans Administration. I have read that they want to cut 80,000 jobs from the Veterans Administration, bringing its employment levels to pre-2019 and eliminating some of the programs instituted by Biden. Because 25 percent of the employees of the Veterans Administration are themselves Veterans, that means about 20,000 Veterans will be hitting the unemployment lines. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said in a video posted on social media, “Things need to change. This administration is finally going to give the veterans what they want. President Trump has a mandate for generational change in Washington, and that’s exactly what we’re going to deliver at the VA.” I remember Trump campaigning on bringing down the cost of groceries down not making cuts to the VA. To call what he is doing to the Veterans Administration a mandate is just another lie to the American people, and especially the Veterans. Last year alone, the VA had 9 million recipients and 127 million appointments. Veterans make up 7 percent of all the homeless, even though they make up just 6 percent of the population. That is a disgrace for a grateful nation, we like to say that we are. By making cuts, I don’t think that we are making things better.

It was widely reported that Trump called those that sacrificed everything as “Suckers and Losers”. It is also known that he stated he didn’t think of John McCain as a hero because he was a prisoner of war, and he preferred his heroes as not prisoners of war. If you read about John McCain, you will know that he was not only a war hero but he was also a great man. Trump may post a meme of himself storming the beaches at Normandy, but we know the truth. It is an insult to the memory of those who stormed that beach and the many who died on that beach.  He was a man who was a draft dodger, and he stated,  “his Vietnam was not getting venereal disease in the 80s”. That alone is a very disrespectful thing to say about all of those who gave so much more than he gave. Our heroes from Vietnam, especially those whose names are on the Wall, should never be compared to not getting some venereal disease by those who didn’t or refused to serve.

I know the Republicans would like to privatize just about everything. A plan to prioritize private sector profits over veterans' care, as stated by Senator Blumenthal, “It’s a shameful betrayal, and veterans will pay the price for this unforgivable corruption, incompetence, and immorality.”  I think we have seen too many billionaires and Corporations get richer with the privatization of government programs and subsidies without oversight or accountability to the American people. These billionaires and corporations that have gotten rich off our tax dollars don’t even want to pay taxes themselves, so you will have a hard time convincing me that the American People benefit from the privatization of any government services, from healthcare to Space exploration. Our veterans should not be dependent on charities like the Wounded Warrior Project. We need to ensure that they are always taken care of and their sacrifices are truly appreciated by a grateful nation, as we say it is.

 

 

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